Wing member to represent AZ junior Guardsmen Published Dec. 19, 2008 By Staff Sgt. Dana Watson 162nd Fighter Wing JEC President TUCSON, Ariz. -- Wing members might have heard her voice on the other end of the line when calling the communications flight help desk. "Help desk, Sergeant Thiel, can I help you?" In addition to being so helpful with troubleshooting computers, Staff Sgt. Heidi Thiel plays an important role in the Junior Enlisted Council as treasurer and through several other wing functions. For this reason, she was recently elected to serve as the vice president of the junior enlisted executive board of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of Arizona (EANGA). As such, Sergeant Thiel is a liaison for the enlisted members of both the Army and Air Guard in Arizona. This means she sits at the EANGA executive board with senior enlisted members to represent the junior ranks while working on resolutions for issues important to all servicemembers. She'll also be assigned to manage the EANGA website, www.eanga.org. "This is a huge honor," said Sergeant Thiel. "I see this as a great responsibility... to serve the board as the voice of the junior enlisted corps in Arizona." In addition to representing all junior enlisted members through EANGA, she also represents the 162nd Fighter Wing through the unit's active Junior Enlisted Council. Sergeant Thiel is frequently approached by senior enlisted advisors from other units to help create Junior Enlisted Councils at Army and Air bases across the state. "We are very proud of Sergeant Thiel and all of her accomplishments and her hard work," said 162nd Command Chief Phil Conway. "She works hard in her full-time position in the communications squadron as a network technician and takes her turn working at the help desk, and she puts forth countless hours when it comes to working with the JEC and EANGA." "Sergeant Thiel is a great role model not only for junior enlisted individuals but for anybody who comes into contact with her. She always has a great attitude and is always smiling whenever you see her no matter what. We are proud to have her representing the 162nd Fighter Wing and the JEC," said the chief. Sergeant Thiel recently graduated from Capella University with a bachelor's degree in information technology specializing in project management.